As technology development progresses, prices decrease, and computing power increases, e.g., memory, storage, processor speed, graphics, and the like, computers are more often used for special purposes instead of being used as a general purpose machine. For example, computers have replaced video cassette recorders (VCRs) in the form of a personal video recorder (PVR), able to record and pause live TV, something which a VCR could never do. As computers replace devices which are not inherently meant for a user to interact with in the same manner as a user might interact with a traditional PC, traditional user interfaces include perceived drawbacks making them unsuitable as user interfaces for these special purpose computers, and thus new user interfaces are needed to allow a user to efficiently utilize the new device.
In a conventional scenario a user might interact with a home PC or laptop via a keyboard and mouse for providing primary input to the PC, and via a display screen and speakers for receiving primary output from the PC (other input and output devices may be used, such as a video camera, printer, scanner, and the like, but such devices are generally used less often for secondary input and output). The keyboard, mouse, display screen and speaker are all typically placed within close proximity to the user, e.g., on a desk. The user interface of the PC's operating system is likewise designed under the expectation that the user will interact with the operating system using the proximately located keyboard, mouse, display device, and speakers. This traditional computer input/output configuration is colloquially referred to as a “2-Foot” user interface, because the user is primarily intended to interact with the PC from approximately 2 feet away from the input or output device, e.g., sitting at a chair in front of the desk on which the keyboard, mouse, display, and speakers are located.
However, the 2-Foot user interface does not provide the same level of usability to a user when implemented on a device not intended to be used with a 2-Foot interface, but rather is intended to be used or controlled via an infrared remote control or some other remote control device. Devices that are primarily intended to be used with a remote control device have a user interface colloquially referred to as a 10-Foot user interface, because the user is primarily intended to interact with the device from father away than 2 feet, and generally sits about 10 feet away from the output display screen attached to the device. Examples of devices that benefit from a 10-Foot user interface include PVRs and Media Center PCs. A Media Center PC is a data processing device with features that allow a user to watch and record TV, manage music and listen to the radio, play DVDs, organize photos, and perform other media related activities, primarily via interaction with a remote control device, e.g., at a similar distance as a user might watch TV in his or her home.
As will be appreciated, a 2-Foot user interface does not work as well when implemented on a device intended to have a 10-Foot user interface because text and graphics are usually too small to be effectively seen from the user's farther distance from the display device. While a first generation of 10-Foot user interfaces have been developed for existing devices, these first generation 10-Foot user interfaces have inherent usability deficiencies that hinder the user experience with the devices on which they are implemented. Thus, it would be an advancement in the art to provide an improved user interface for devices whose primary interaction by a user is via remote a remote control device.